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Carly Whittam, from Woodplumpton, added: “I have been off sick with a virus.

“I have been in bed all week. I’m concerned that the water is what has caused it because I’ve been feeling worse again today. We won’t be letting the kids drink water."

Cryptosporidium is particularly dangerous to young children and the elderly and can bring about severe bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting.

An outbreak in the American city of Milwaukee in 1993 is thought to have killed more than 100 people.

Speaking of the advice to boil all bottled water, United Utilities said the warning would remain in place over the weekend and likely into early next week - despite the traces of cryptosporidium "continuing to reduce".

The company said in a statement: "Testing will continue and the boiled water notice will not be lifted until United Utilities is absolutely satisfied that the water is back to the usual extremely high standards."

In my quest to find bottled water in Blackpool this morning it took trips to three supermarkets to find this... pic.twitter.com/q8ZPSJh4cX